Day 32: Inspiration, Connectivity, and More Words of Advice

As my father well knows from our phone conversations of late- in which I talk his ear off about the conversations I have had that day- I have been overwhelmed with inspiration and hope these past few days. I have left conversations quite literally shaking with palpable energy. I get tingles in my arms as I tell visitors to the bus about our crew and this unique opportunity. It’s some physical reaction that happens when I articulate aloud our story: A group of students traveling across the country on a bus powered by waste vegetable oil learning, growing, sharing inspiration.

That’s kind of insane. How fortunate am I?

I am inspired. I am inspired by the individuals who have shared their stories of community, of home, of earth; inspired by those who have left the bus telling me directly that they have been affected by their time with us. This is what we have the power to do this summer. We are connecting the dots, tapping into what I have started calling “connectivity.” I think it’s connectivity that is at the root of this movement that we are witnessing, and building, across the country. What is connectivity? It’s community building. It’s rootedness in the earth. It’s a shared sense of place. It’s the power of conversation and human interaction.

I felt this in Tucson when the Big Green Bus attended a panel focused on “Activism and Cultural Change,” after spending time at the Tucson Farmers Market outside of delicious Maynards Market. Activists from the Womens International League, Occupy Tucson, Green Living, Sustainable Tucson, the Big Green Bus (oh hey Remy and Anna), and more came together to share their stories of taking action. Two of the female panelists came onto the bus after the event and we spoke for over forty minutes about the challenges we face, things to celebrate, means of communication, ways of building community. These two understood connectivity.

So I’ll share some words of advice and wisdom they gave me (since I’m big on words of advice):

Pause.

Reflect.

The change we seek does not happen instantaneously.

Take time to internalize and appreciate the good around you.

Go back to your center.

If you have the opportunity to do a sweat lodge, seize it.

Clear your mind and open yourself to receive what the universe has to offer.

Thoughtfully and sustainably yours,
Kelly